76. If I Had Never Seen the Light

Turn left and right, and walked through several moon gates.

Finally arrived at the small courtyard.

"Master Bai, please, Master Zhang is waiting in that wing."

The servant bowed.

Bai Gui nodded and knocked on the door of the wing.

Squeak.

A small door opened.

"Father, please come in."

When he saw Bai Gui for the first time, Daochang Zhang frowned slightly. This was the first time he saw this person in the Wu Mansion, but when he saw that he was dressed in a suit that seemed rich or noble, he quickly invited him in.

Layman is a term given to those who have not become monks and practice Taoism.

For example, Li Bai is the layman Qinglian, Li Qingzhao is the layman Yi'an, and Su Shi is the layman Dongpo. Lay scholar is also a title generally given to scholars and gentry.

As for ordinary people, they are good believers and donors. (Donor is not just a Buddhist term)

"Daozhang Zhang, I am a student of White Deer Academy, and Mr. Zhu is my husband. The last time I saw Daozhang Zhang, I visited my teacher with your teacher. Now I don't know why Daozhang Zhang came to Wu Mansion?"

Bai Gui got straight to the point and said directly that I am Mr. Zhu's disciple and a descendant of an old friend.

Daochang Zhang suddenly understood. He looked much closer to Bai Gui, and with a smile on his face, he said: "It's nothing, it's just for the same thing..."

He sighed and said nothing, but he said everything.

Or that thing?

Bai Gui immediately remembered Mr. Zhu's petition before the county examination, which caused a sensation in the entire Qin Province at that time, in order to demand the pardon of the laborers who built the mausoleum. However, Mr. Zhu's petition was intercepted by the officials of Qin Province.

Now, Daozhang Liu and Daozhang Lin are gone, and only Daochang Zhang is seen running around silently.

Yes, Zhou Ying is related!

Her connections can lead directly to the court, so it is normal for Daoist Zhang to come to see Zhou Ying.

but……

For the sake of the lives and fortunes of so many people in the Wu family, Zhou Ying would flatly refuse even if she couldn't bear it.

This matter is so unlucky!

The reputation of some scholars must be taboo when killing scholars. Now that the Qing Dynasty is weak, it is inevitable to take some things into consideration. But there is no need to taboo about killing a mere merchant. In addition, Zhou Ying is also the righteous daughter of the Queen Mother of the West. Others have not yet written a letter about this matter. However, Zhou Ying would be unfilial if she dared!

What's more, Zhou Ying and the Wu Mansion are enough to give face. If ordinary people encounter this kind of thing, it will be fine the first time, but the second time they will close the door and thank the guests, and drive them out with sticks if they dare to break in. It is already good to have Zhang Daochang enter the house. .

"Where's Taoist Master Mao?"

Bai Gui changed the topic. He didn't dare to get involved in this matter. His current status seemed good, but he was far from being able to interfere in these matters.

The most valuable thing about people is self-awareness!

If you want to be unjust, feel free to draw your sword!

But there is injustice everywhere in the world now, even if you draw your sword, you will look around with confusion!

As for the other young Taoist priest from Maoshan who followed Taoist Master Lin, he also learned his name during his days at Bailu Academy, and his name was Mao Xiaofang.

"He and his master opened a Fuxi Hall in Ganquan Town next to the mausoleum to save lives and heal the wounded. Some injured laborers could go to him for medical treatment."

Daochang Zhang sat on the chair and said.

Seeing that the topic had reached this point again, Bai Gui could no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb. He advised: "Daozhang Zhang, Mrs. Wu won't help you. You see, she hasn't come to you for so long, and her meaning is already obvious. ”

"How could a poor man not know about this..."

Taoist Zhang showed bitterness on his face, "But all I can do is pray for them, chant sutras, and ask for help..."

He also knew that the matter was a foregone conclusion.

However, there are some things that you still have to do if you can do your best. You cannot stop without doing them.

The atmosphere suddenly became stagnant.

Soon after, Zhang Daochang saw that the waiting time was almost up and gave up. Perhaps, the moment Bai Gui saw him and persuaded him, he gave up. He raised his legs and stood up. , said to Bai Gui, "Junior Bai, Pindao is currently living in the Wanshou Eight Immortals Palace. If you want to find Pindao, you can come. Pindao... I will take my leave."

He also saw that Bai Gui came to him because he might have something to ask for or wanted to ask something. But seeing this scene, I didn’t feel comfortable speaking.

Daozhang Zhang opened the door, took long steps, and left.

He held his head high and his clothes were fluttering, as if he had put something down invisibly or picked something up.

…

Return to the living room.

The sky was getting dark, and a kerosene lamp was lit in the living room.

There is still a noble lady playing the piano with beautiful notes.

"Brother Bai, what happened to you talking to Taoist Zhang?"

Wu Huaiyuan saw the servant leading Bai Gui over, and stepped forward to ask. He had just learned something from Zhou Ying. While he admired Daozhang Zhang, he also secretly felt lucky. Fortunately, Zhou Ying did not agree to Daozhang Zhang.

Although it is said that Zhang Daozhang's actions may inevitably lead to the Wu Mansion being plunged into a situation of eternal disaster, no matter how you look at it, there is some evil intention.

But..., if you think about it for a moment, you will understand that those who dare to do it are not afraid of these things, and those who dare not do it have no worries about these things.

At least Daozhang Zhang was just asking, not forcing him with words or anything like that.

"Daozhang Zhang will not come to your mansion next time."

Bai Gui was still chatting and laughing with Wu Huaixian, Liu Mingda, and some dignitaries and noble ladies in a friendly manner, but in his heart, he found it difficult to be happy and became much duller.

It's just that he is good at sensing people's hearts and doesn't show anything on his face. He is still as good at talking as when he first came here.

"Ah, in fact, our Wu Mansion is also a kind family. Every year, wherever there is a disaster, our Wu Mansion will donate money, provide porridge and food, but there are some things that no one dares to do, and cannot do, and we must also pay attention to the degree between them..."

Wu Huaixian was afraid that Bai Gui would mind something, so he said in a low voice.

"I believe in the character of Brother Huaixian."

Bai Gui raised his goblet again and clinked glasses with Wu Huaixian and others one by one.

The red wine went into his stomach, and he was slightly drunk.

It was getting dark, and the cultural salon was over. Originally, a dance party was going to be held, but the ladies present were also very restrained, and most of them were unwilling to have physical contact with others, so the dance party was left unfinished.

There was a foreign woman from Luosha Country who performed ballet.

The dance was graceful.

The three of them supported each other out of the Wu Mansion and got on the carriage together.

Wu's residence also prepared rooms for drunken guests, but the workload at the Normal School was heavy. After discussing, everyone still felt that sleeping on a large bunk bed was more comfortable than the side room of Wu's residence, so they prepared to return to the dormitory of the Normal School together.

"Wait a minute."

Arriving at the door of a bookstore, Bai Gui stopped the coachman.

He trotted in, his face flushed with the afterglow of drunkenness, and said to the shopkeeper: "Hello, do you have any foreign poetry collections?"

This is the provincial capital, and the books in the bookstore are comprehensive.

There have always been translated foreign poems, but the circulation is smaller.

Back in the carriage, he already had a collection of poems by Amei Kenguo, an anonymous translation, and the title was "Quotations of Western Poets".

He flipped through it and found the poem.

Amei Kenguo poet Emily Dickinson wrote a poem "If I Had Never Seen the Sun" in 1872.

It was a very short four-line book, the first two of which were:

"Had I not seen the Sun." (If I had never seen the sun)

"I cound have borne the shade." (I could have endured the darkness)

He read it and closed the book.

He fell asleep.

He forced himself to fall asleep while drunk.